FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an interface for a cargo loader which includes means for adjusting to accommodate different size docking means and positions. More specifically, this invention relates to an articulating interface especially suited for use with an aircraft cargo loader.
The commercial and military fleet of cargo aircraft is very diverse with each airplane having one or more possible cargo compartments and loading doors. Because of the predominance of wide body aircraft in the transport fleet, the tendency has been towards the development and fielding of large multipallet loaders having their own propulsion means and powered container handling features.
Since many commercial and military cargo aircrafts can be loaded from front or rear doors, the loader body width has usually been made in the prior art of a width of 96, 108, or 125 inches to accommodate the various standard wide-body pallets and containers. However, many lower deck doors and access openings on small aircraft are smaller in width than 96 inches (e.g., 60-90 inches).
Moreover, the prior art cargo loading equipment, used to access smaller aircraft doors recessed into the fuselage of the airplane, generally consisted of container lifts made narrow to fit the smaller openings associated with such aircraft cargo doors. Some prior art cargo lifts require that the containers be manually pushed on and pushed off the cargo loader. Thus, in addition to not being flexible enough to handle the diverse range of aircraft loading and unloading cargo areas, such prior art cargo loading equipment also require excessive handling in loading or unloading containers from an aircraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,096 illustrates an angularly adjustable, powered interface for use with a freight transporter and loader. The angular adjustment feature of the interface of U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,096 enables the operator to adjust the loader for accessing "behind the wing" cargo doors. U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,096, however, fails to provide access to aircraft cargo compartments of all recent wide and narrow body cargo aircraft.